Coronavirus: Extra £23m funding for Welsh Government

Welsh Secretary Simon HartGetty Images
Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said the funding would help Wales tackle the pandemic

An extra £23m in funding will be made available to Wales by the UK government to help confront the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes after ministers increased funding for councils in England for a track and trace system.

The cash will go to the Welsh Government, who will decide what to spend it on.

The UK Government said the total given to Welsh ministers during the pandemic was over £2.2bn.

The announcement comes after ministers said they would give £300m extra funding to councils in England for the test and trace service. It also boosted budgets by £160m to help provide housing for rough-sleepers during the pandemic.

Track and trace involves testing people who have symptoms and identifying others with whom they have been in close contact

Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said the cash would help the Welsh Government meet the "exceptional challenges it currently faces".

"Along with the recent roll-out of antibody tests for front-line workers across the UK, the additional funding for Wales highlights our determination to move forward together in the fight against coronavirus," he said.

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